Can someone please tell me how to ...

[minimom1]

Hi

I just had my farrier out and he says my 6 week old colt is weak in the fetlock joint and is rocking back on his heel/fetlock.

This is not severe but he lifts his toes right off the ground.

He did a minor trim to assist the situation and advised that he may very well out grow this issue but suggested that I may want to wrap his legs for extra suppor to help him.

I have a couple questions though:

What do you wrap them with ? I only have big horse polo's.

How tight do your wrap them ?

Do you leave them wrapped 24/7 or just when turned out ?

I really can not afford to take him to the vet unless absolutley necasary as I am sitting on a $1000 vet bill from one of my other horses and would like to pay that off before accumulating more.

I really appreciate the advice.

 

[supaspot]

Ive seen that several times in minis and it almost always resolves itself (we had one that needed plaster casts for 3 months ) unless its severe Id leave it alone

have you any pics

 

[rubyviewminis]

You can do a search for the thread I posted for my filly with the same issue. I got many wonderful responses. She was born overdue and her hooves were very long. The vet and farrier told us she was normal and fine. I posted pictures and others here helped immensely. She is now 7 1/2 weeks and 100% normal, we trimmed ourselves using photos someone kindly posted of their show foal and where to trim. I also started using Rejuvenate paste 0.5 a day and those extra vitamins and minerals helped. Search Rejuvenate too and you will get a lot of postings with useful information to help you.

I don't think wrapping is what he would need from what I have read from the experiences of others, and as I found out even with a good vet, they do not understand the intricacies of mini's. Wrapping can cause sores. I have been told that its common on mini foals and sometimes they do not come up for a few months.

If you could post pictures or email them to someone to post that would be very helpful and important.

 

[minimom1]

Okay Thank you for your prompt replies.

I will just leave him alone then as I said he assumes he will grow out of it. He is not actually walking on his fetlock, more just rocking back on the heel.

 

[rubyviewminis]

http://www.miniaturehorsetalk.com/index.php?showtopic=118673&hl=I%20really%20need%20some%20advice&st=0

Hope this goes this is the topic I got so much help for. Like I said, Jewel is just fine now with 3 big trims we did ourselves.

 

[disneyhorse]

Yep, I will agree with NOT wrapping the legs... I suggest trims every 3 weeks to rasp that toe.

If it's severe, you can get glue-on shoes which will help strengthen those fetlocks faster.

I don't know if these pictures will work, but this filly had small wedges glued onto her heels.

Andrea

 

[Miniv]

Do NOT wrap your foal's fetlocks.....Wrapping will make them relax even MORE.

Our 20 years of doing this stuff tells us to NOT wrap unless the tendons are overly TIGHT, not relaxed. Instead, we keep the toes trimmed/rasped and make sure the baby has plenty of room to run around in. Have your farrier come back in 2 weeks if possible and trim them again and show you about rasping a bit at the toes ever few days.

My bit is to ask if you are in a low Selenium area. Give your vet's office a call and ask and they can tell you. If you are, your foal may need a Selenium and Vitamin E shot to help its legs. Minis only need a 1/4cc shot. We live in a low to zero area and in a pinch have gotten a selenium shot for goats from some friends (it includes the vitamin B, not E....but there's no problem with it.)

All the best with your little one. I am sure all will be well...

 

[rubyviewminis]

Yes that is something else, Selenium. Our area is very low yet my vet would not give a shot at birth. I do provide mineral blocks with Selenium now along with plain salt. And my feed has selenium in it, Safechoice for the mare and foal. I also use a balancer Enrich 32 that has Selenium that the other horses get big and small. I do know there is a very small % between amount needed and toxicity. So that is why I just provide the feeds with the minerals and vitamins in them. And like I said, the Rejuvenate paste has made a difference also.

 

[minimom1]

Disneyhorse ... thanks for the pictures, that is very much what his feet look like. I will talk to the farrier about the wedge and see if he is comfortable doing this or not, in the mean time I will not wrap him.

 

[HGFarm]

I agree with many of the posts above and wrapping makes things WORSE. Free excercise and good trimming will get your baby up where it belongs with time. I purchased a mare that was bred from another state and the resulting foal was walking ON the back of all four ankles.... it took him a while- almost 4 months but he came up on his own with nothing special. My vet did look at him and said just keep him trimmed and he will come up and he did. Even did really well at at open show at about 5 months old.

I would have your vet come by and take a look- you may be tossing money into special shoes and other stuff that your foal really does not need and it will do fine by itself. Then who is getting your money? Your vet for doing an educated look, or a farrier, who has already not given very good advice (IMO)

 

[Carolyn R]

Yep, I will agree with NOT wrapping the legs... I suggest trims every 3 weeks to rasp that toe.

If it's severe, you can get glue-on shoes which will help strengthen those fetlocks faster.

I don't know if these pictures will work, but this filly had small wedges glued onto her heels.

Andrea

I agree 100% with this!!!!!!

I had a foal 5yrs ago with a similar issue, glue shoes worked wonders.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Exactly how slack are they?

Could you post a picture.

I would agree with not wrapping, it is rarely, if ever, the answer.

 

[minimom1]

I could go take pics but I am completely useless at putting them on the forum. I have tried and never got it right in the past.

They appear very similar in severity to the pics of the foal already posted on here.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

If you wish I can put them up for you, it is up to you, though.

If they are only like the foal illustrated, I do not think you have any need for worry at all.

 

[HGFarm]

I agree!!!! That is NOT that bad and it will come up without the shoes.... I am telling you that the one I had was horrible and literally walking ON the backs of it's ankles on all four. He came up on his own without any other aids or whatever and was perfectly straight by 4 months old.